Violin piano



Sept. 29, 1925 sssgm E. Si LE'IN VIOLIN PIANO Filed April 13, 192i 6Sheets-Sheet 1 135 f6 7 22 10 4 (BM/gt 61 Fromm a Sept. 29, 1925.1,555,152

E. SILEN VIOLIN PIANO E. SlLEN VIOLIN PIANO Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,762

Filed April 1 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 n w ()4 Z 4 r f I, O G O O O J 0 v Vl I 11mm Sept. 29, 1925 1,555,152

. E. SILEN VIOLIN PIANO r11: April 15. 1921 'g m 4 J2 L 1 Sept. 29,1925. 1,555,762

E. SILEN VIOLIN PIANO Filed April 13, 192 esheets-sheet 6 Patented Sept.29. 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

ERICK SILEN, OF PRESCOTT, OREGON.

VIOLIN PIANO.

Application filed April 13, 1921.

T0 (1,77 whom it may, (OI/((41711 Be it known at I. Enron Sir' zen ofthe lr'nited States. residi A cott. in the county of (,ohunbia and StateOregon, have invented a new and useim Violin Piano, of which thetailor-ring is a specification.

This invention relates to violin pianos and is designed primarily as animprovement upon the structures disclosed in my Patents 1,0t5,899 ofDec. :5, 1912, 1,115.001 of November 3, 19192, and 1.238.835 ofSeptember &, 1917.

One of the objects of the invention is to so arrange the parts of thestructure as to leave room tor an automatic piano player mechanism oiany well known construc' tion.

A further object is to combine with t. bowing mechanism a means wherebyr. lower strings oit the instrument will be vibra ed by the ordinarypiano hammers. thus to provide an accompaniment :tor the violin tonesproduced by the vibration of the strings beginning with G below middle(l it having been tound impossible to produi", pure violin or cellotoner the bow ue; of the coarse bass strings.

A further object to reduce the number of parts of the mechanism andthereby reduce the cost of construction without vsacrificing:etliciency.

Another object is to utilizv a motor as the sole means for operating);the u'lechanism, means being; provided for rendering the motornoiseless.

A still further object is to provide bowing: mechanism in the ffilii!Oil a complete unit which can be removed readil from or placed in thepiano without removin oi the other actions in the inst neat.

Another object is to provide nzproved means for applying rosin to thebowing disic whereby the suplfly of rosin kept for er period than hasheretotore been l the foregoing and other objects in view which willappear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certainnovci details of construction and combinations of parts which will behereinafter more fully des=.:ribed and pointed out in the claims, itbeing understood that 'arious changes may be made in the constructionant-Qtarrangement ot the parts without depaftiliig from the spirit orsacrificing an Serial No. 460,932.

of the advantages of the invention as set torth in the appended ciaims.

In the arcompanving drawings the prel torn-.1 ot' the invention has beenof the insertion and remote part being omitted.

i 1; a front elevation ot the metal Fran; the strine tand soui'idiug'board. i

i a plan view oi the pedals and the adjacent portions of theirconnections.

Figure 5 a section through the ros n applying: device.

Figure (3 is a detail view oi the supporting: strip or hanger used inconnection with said device the said hanger being shown detached andopen.

Figure 7 is deta l view of the upper portion or be operating; rod oi oneof the shafts tor actuatim: the bowingdisk.

Figure 8 is a view partly in side elevation and Ptil't lh' in sectionshowing: t

Figure e manner oi mount ng: the shaft of the iMHYiilj" dish in theinstrument.

Figu e 0 is a section t :rougi'h of the bowing mechanism.

i ore to is an enlarged section through one ot the bowing): disks.

Figure it is a side elevation of a portion of the tremolo mechanism.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of one of the lifting rods of the tremolomechanism. the bearing lever engaged thereby being shown in section.

Figure 13 a detail view of a portion of the housing and the slidnble armcarrying strip thereon.

Figure 14 is a plan view of a. portion of the rosin applvin;- mechanismand the adjacent disk.

Referring to the figures by characters of reterence A designates thecabinet of the instrument the keyboard, the strings, and D the sounding:board. The wood frame carrying "the sounding board D has beenillustruted in Figure 3 and is designated at E. It ill i noted. that themetal frame l a portion E has the bass strings C extended diagonallyacross the treble or violin strings C and the wrest pins F to which thebass strings C" are connected are located in a lower plane than thewrest pins G to which the treble or violin strings are attached so thatthe hammers H of the usual piano action which are used for sounding thestrings C" will strike said strings along a line indicated at h inFigure 3 while the bowing elements hereinafter described will engage thetreble or violin strings C at a higher level along the line indicated ath in Figure 3.

The sounding board D has its front five inclined along the upper portionthereof as indicated at 1 in Figure 2 and it will be noted that the woodframe E is cut away under the marginal portion of the sounding board atthe top, as shown at 2 thus to increase the vibrating area of thesounding board, there being left only a narrow shoulder 3 on the woodframe E for engagement by the upper part of the sounding board.

The upper bridge 4 mounted on the sound ing board for engagement by theviolin strings C has one end portion carried by an extension wing 5secured along one edge to the sounding board but spaced therefrom at itsother edge where the bridge is located and as shown in Figures 2 and 3.The metal frame E can be reenforced by a rib or brace 6 and by asupplemental brace 7 which is secured to the frame.

Arranged on the bottom of the cabinet A are cleats 8 on which is mounteda base strip 9, it being understood that any suitable cushioning meanssuch as strips of felt 11) can be interposed between the cleats and thestrip 9 for the purpose of absorbing vibrations. ()n this strip 9 areprovided bearings 1.1 for a shaft 12 having cranks 13 whereby pitman 14will operate the bellows 15 of pneumatic piano playing mechanism. thewind chest of this mechanism being indicated at I, the pneumatics at Jand the tracker at K in Figure 2. Inasmuch as this piano playingmechanism is of the usual type and constitutes in itself no part of thepresent invention, it is not deemed necessary to enter into a detaileddescription thereof. A double pulley 16 is connected to one end. of theshaft 12 while the other end of said shaft is connected by a coupling 17of any suitable construction to a short shaft 18 journaled in one end ofa housing 19 which is mounted on a base 20 supported by cleats 21. Thisbase can likewise be provided with interposed strips 22 of felt or thelike for absorbing vibrations. A gear 23 is secured to the shaft 18 andwithin a housing 19' and meshes with a gear 24 on a short transverseshaft 25. This shaft has a worm gear 26 which meshes with a worm 27 on alongitudinal shaft 28. Said shaft, in turn, is

from eye-bolts 34'. These eye-bolts are ad-' justably mounted insupporting yokes or standards 35 within the housing 19. By providinghangers such as described the shaft of the motor can be relieved of allof the weight of the motor casing so that the noise which wouldotherwise result from the operation of the motor due to excessivevibration and friction, is eliminated and an entirely noiselessoperation set up. It is to be understood that the housing 19 can besuitably lined with a sound deadening material,

shown at 36.

It is to be understood that all of the strings (1" up to G below middleC are to be vibrated by the usual hammer mechanism as heretoforeindicated and which has been shown at H. The remaining strin s are alapted to be vibrated by bOWiIlg disks the applii-ation of which to thestrings is controlled by the keys of the keyboard B. Each key lever 37extending inwardly from the board has a recess 38 in its upper face atthe rear end thereof for the reception of the lower end of a threadedstem 39 adj ustably attached to the lower end of a lifting rod 40. Alink 41 is pivotally connected to this rod and to a bracket 42 securedto a rail 43 mounted within the instrument. The upper end of eachlifting rod 40 is pivotally connected to a lever 44 fulcrumed as at 45and having an upstanding spoon 46 extending in front of the lowerportion of a damper lever 47. A spring 48 presses against the damperlever and serves to hold the damper 4.) normally pressed against thestring in the rear thereof. When the rear end of the lever 44 is swungdownwardly by the elevation of the rod 40, however, the spoon 46 willpress the lower end of the damper lever 47 and shift the damper awayfrom the string C. A damper controlling plate 50 is hinged y mounted infront of the series of damper levers 47 and has a crank arm 51 to whichis pivotally connected a rod 52. This rod 52 is mounted at its lower endon a crank arm 53 provided at one end of a transverse rock shaft 54journa led on the bottom of the cabinet and beneath the strips 9 andbase 20. there being a forwardly extending arm 5;) upon the other end ofthe shaft which projects through the front of the cabinet andconstitutes a pedal as shown at 56. A spring 57 extends under this armto hold the pedal 56 normally raised. Thus it will be seen that when thepedal 56 is depressed the rod 52 will be pressed upwardh and force theplate All against all of the levers l7 so as to prevent the dampers afrom coming against the strings.

A cros strip 58 is arranged between and secured to the sides of a frame59 secured in the cabinet A, this cross strip bein preferably oi. twothicknesses as shown in Fig!- ure and supporting an elongated housing(50 from the bottom of which extends a ton wardl projecting flange G1.The top oY the housing has been indicated at (3i and a strip ($2 ishingedly and slidably mounted on this top. the spindle 63 on which thestrip is mounted being extended laterally from the housing and carryinga spring- (34 bean ing against an eye extending from the strip 62. Itpreferred a pair t these springs and eyes therefor can be provided sothat the strip 62 is thus normally held pressed toward the left. Anantitriction roller 66 can be interposed between the strip iii and thetop (3t ot the housing and a finger piece ($7 can be extended upwardlyfrom the strip (1:2 to enable said strip to he swung upwardly anddownwardly about its hinge connection. Arms 68 are mounted on the strip2 and are pivotally connected thereto by screws (99 or the like.Clamping screws 70 having washers T1 are extended between the ends ofthese arm. and a rib 72 on the strip 62 and by tightening the screws 70the washers will be clamped on the arms and the arms held againstangular adjustment. The back end of the arms 68 are provided withhangers 73 one of which is shown in detail in Figures and (3. Each ofthese hangers is formed of a strip ot metal Folded to V shape and havingears Tl extendingat right angles from the upper ends of the hanger. Astud T5 is placed in one of the members of the hanger with its head 76between the hangers. By then drawing the members of the hanger together,as shown in Figure and with the cars 74 lapping each other, a fasteningdevice indicated at 77 can be inserted through the ears and through thearms 68. thus holding the head of the stud 75 tightly clamped within thehanger. A disk 78 is mounted for rotation on the stud 7 being heldthereto by a cotter pin '79 or the like, and in one face of this disk isprovided an annular recess S0 in which is molded a ring 8t formed ofrosin there being preferably provider anclioring ribs 82 on the disk forextending ext riding! urinating at its in end in a pedal 'ated ll. frontof the cr se A, the sail bei held no mall raised bv a i t). l l e n thatwhen the pedal Fr div the rod 8; will bell crank the action o; .3" 'l heaction of b another spring 91. connect. a u at the bell crank 83 to onitrame 59.

Secured to the end portions of the flange (31 are bee. gs 9:. havingsleeies 923 in which is jeurnaled a shaft 93. Arranged on this shaft 9%?so as project betw en the strings C rre how disks it formed o3! layersof flexible ma ial cupped as shown. the said layers ot ea. disl: beingclumped the sh: it by tints screwed on the shaft. -Waslwrs it; and 97are interposed between these nuts Us di s, 111 washers $36 which enga cth cave faces of the disks being .unal diameter than the washers 9? wine l the center; ta es of the disks. lirt the i are 'tie'htened the diskswil not end to buckle out of shape as often l especially r-fith disks ofliq." nnuc ers ('iilillptt'l between the nuts.

Journaled within the housing (3 are hattts d8. each shatt being-5 ollsetwithin the rousing, as shown at if}; so as to h h ld againstlongitudinal movement. ihe shatts extend to the spaces between thebowing lu-S disks and are provided w th fingers two which lie close tothe convex 'l uces oi the respective disks tt-l. roller hit is mountedon each oi, these ingers to irect ontact with the adjar l c lit) at rsided at the shafts 98 and project into i ing the heads of threaded steably connee t of these rods bear of the tiange (Si' arusigned to work upand down w loops 10% extending "from the :"f lower ends of the rod I edto the leiers so a e dew. it ctll list upwardly by its rev will rotatethe cranl-z it d cause 100 to swing later-airy so as to Thus it. will beseen that duri. V

" disks, rosin will be applied to the friction idges of the bowing disksand at the same time the osin disks will rotated. a result of thisarrangemeni the wear upon the rosin disks will be equalized throu houtthe surfa'J-c of the disks.

Extending through the sides of the frame 59 is a shaft 107 to whichsecured a vibrator or roll 108 having longitudinal corrugations. Thisshaft is adapted to work within openings 109 formed in the sides of theframe 59 and is journaled in levers 110 fulcrumed on the sides of theframe as shown at 111. Springs 112 bear down on the levers 110 so as tohold the shaft 107 normally in its lowermost position, and serur d toone end of the shaft 107 is a pulley 11$) driven by a belt 114 extendingover guide pulleys 115 and driven by the pulley 1G. Notches 116 areformed in the lower edges of the levers 110 to receive the forked upperends 117 of lifting rods 118. The lower end of one of these rods isconnected to a crank arm 119 extending rsarwardly from a shaft 120arranged under the strip 9 and constituting the fulcrum of a lever 121the front portion of which constitutes a pedal as indicated at 122. Therear arm of the lever 121 has a finger 123 extending laterally therefromand engaged by the other rod 118, it being understood that this fingeris so located as to support the two rods 11.8 at the same disstancc fromthe axis of rotation of the shaft 120. A spring 124 is provided forholding the pedal 122 normally elevated.

Each of the rods 105 is provided with an adjustable block 125. A rail126 is located back of the rod and has brackets 1.27 on which arepivoted levers 128. One of these levers is provided for each rod 105 andeach lever carries a roller 129 which overhangs and is normally spacedfrom the corrugated roll 108. A spring 130 has one end seated in bracket127 and its other end bearing upwardly against the lever 128 on saidbracket. Thus the lever is held pressed against a stop 131. on thebracket and with one end projecting into the path of the block 125. Itwill be obvious that each time the rod 105 is moved upwardly by thedepression of a key 37, the block on said rod will move against thelever 128 in the path thereof and swing the roller 129 downwardly. Thiswill not produce any results, however, unless the pedal 122 should bedepressed in which event the roll 108, while rotating, would be elevatedso as to contact with and oscillate each roller 129 as lowered intocontact therewith, thereby producing a tremolo because every time theroller 129 is pushed upwardly by the corrugated roll the lever 128 willpress down on the block 125 in contact therewith and cause the flexedbowing disk to shift out of contact with its string.

Motion is transmitted to the lever 44 of each key from the piano playerattachment through a rod 132 extending from the pneumatics J. Thus thebowing mechanism can be operated either by hand or mechanically.

Any suitable soft pedal mechanism can be used in the instrument and asthe same constitutes no part of the present invention it has not beendeemed necessary to describe or illustrate it. A soft pedal has beenshown at 133, the same being yieldingly supported by a spring 134 andadapted to operate the soft pedal mechanism through a lever 135.

It will be understood that by detaching the housing from the frame 59the entire mechanism mounted on said housing can be removed from theinstrument.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A violin piano including a sounding board havingpiano strings extending across one face thereof, a keyboard, hammers adjacent certain of said strings, means for transmitting motion to thehammers from certain of the keys of the keyboard, bowing disks adjacentthe remaining strings, means for rotating the disks, and means operatedby the remaining keys of the keyboard for shifting the disks against theadjacent strings, said hammers and bowing disks being located at thesame side of the sounding board.

2. A violin piano including a sounding board having piano stringsextendin across one face thereof, hammers for soun ing the bass strings,bowing disks for sounding the remaining strings, means for rotating thedisks, keys for actuating the hammers, keys for positioning the disksagainst their strings, said hammers and bowing disks being located atthe same side of the sounding board, and an automatic player attachmentfor actuating both the hammers and the disks to sound their respectivestrings.

3. In a violin piano a bowing disk including nested cupped layers offlexible material, a shaft extending therethrough, washers upon theshaft and engaging the opposed faces of the disk, the washer engagingthe convex face being of greater diameter than the other washer, andmeans engaging the shaft for clamping the layers between the washers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature.

ERICK SILEN.

